


Convention

by Clandestine_Dragon



Category: Tales of Xillia
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-16
Updated: 2014-09-16
Packaged: 2018-02-17 15:53:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2315096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Clandestine_Dragon/pseuds/Clandestine_Dragon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alvin and Jude form a few ground rules.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Convention

“Less flirting with every pretty face you happen to see.” A determined line made up Jude’s mouth.

“Unless it’s you?” A smirk was Alvin’s.

A blush on Jude’s cheeks. “Y-Yes…I mean, um….”

“Got it.”

“A-Alvin!”

The mercenary ignored him. “In return I get a little more ‘Jude time’.” He gave a half-grin in the martial artist’s direction, who frowned back dubiously.

“What? Jude time?”

“Yeah. Time where you pay attention only to me. No looking after Elize, no making Leia happy, no listening to Rowen’s life lectures. Just you and me.” Though he looked to be jesting, there was a stripe of seriousness in brown eyes that made Jude nod slowly.

“Then, since we’ll have our time, I want you to make more of an effort to attend the get-togethers.” Though he felt guilty at the grimace that twisted Alvin’s face, he wasn’t going to relent on this. Jude was tired of the heavy tension that covered the group when they were all together…and he knew only time together would help them get past it.

Alvin didn’t look at the younger man, instead he stared off to the side sullenly. “…Fine.” Then he let his gaze slide back to honey brown, and immediately abandoned the thought of pouting further at the small smile on Jude’s face. It’d been awhile since Alvin had been the one to make the boy smile. He quickly added. “I want a cat.”

He was rewarded by that smile deepening to the close-eyed one he loved so much. “Of course.” Jude paused, then. “No more talks about monster bondage.”

“How about regular bondage?”

“Alvin!”

It was a silly little thing, setting up ‘terms’ before officially going out, despite the fact that everyone was already assuming that they were anyway. Alvin hadn’t felt this at ease in…a long time; seated on the ground with Jude sitting between his thighs, watching every expression that crossed the young man’s face. But of course, all good things had to come to an end.

“This will be my last requirement.” Somehow, Alvin knew this one wasn't going to be a lighthearted comment, and certainly not a borderline-joke.

“No more lies.”

Both of them froze, eyes locked, neither willing to breathe too heavily. Jude’s eyes were stony, unyielding, and Alvin’s were wiped clean of any emotions he was feeling deep down. Or at least he hoped they were. “I can’t-.”

“Alvin.”

The brunette cut off, and he knew he was frowning down at the martial artist sitting between his legs. Though the boy didn’t frown back, his blank stare was somehow worse. Alvin knew that this request…was hardly unfair. All of their problems stemmed from lies. More specifically, from Alvin’s lies. For all of the terms they made – switching off every other request – this was the only one that truly mattered, that really needed to be addressed. And it was a problem brought in by Alvin single-handedly.

Could he stop lying after all those years? He looked closer at those honey eyes, seeing beneath the stone – or maybe it was glass – a fear that couldn’t be covered up. The more important question was…could he live without Jude? The feelings that the boy had brought into his life were both entirely foreign and precious. Were lies worth that? Were lies worth anything? He had a fresh start, a chance to escape the circumstances of his youth….

“I can’t promise…” Jude opened his mouth, “But damned…if I don’t try.” Honey eyes softened against their will, revealing hope and the emotion that attracted Alvin so irrevocably. “I promise to try Jude. That’s all I can do.”

Though he was obviously hoping for more, the martial artist probably knew better by now than to expect too much from the mercenary, and nodded slowly. “And you…? What’s your last requirement?”

Alvin didn’t understand how Jude could keep giving him all of these chances – at the risk of his own heart. Over and over, he had betrayed and failed the boy…and yet here they were; close enough to feel each other breathing, the warmth of their bodies intermingling, Jude’s eyes and insecurities visible to Alvin’s contaminated ones. He could think of one thing he sincerely wanted.

“…I probably don’t have a right to ask this.”

Jude tilted his head in curiosity. “Ask anyway.”

“…Love me.”

Emotion-ridden eyes closed at that, and a small, helpless smile turned lips up in a gentle, trade-mark smile. “Only if you give me one more requirement….and love me too.”

Alvin rested his forehead on Jude’s, heart aching for too many reasons to count. “Always.” He could at least, without a doubt, promise that. He didn’t really have a choice.

“T-then…I think we’re done.” Slowly, but without the doubts he should’ve been having, Jude pressed his lips shyly up against Alvin’s. The mercenary knew that his vows were now sealed, and as he moved into the kiss, he prayed to Maxwell that he’d be able to uphold his half.


End file.
